Mike Tyson was very clear about the
extent of his boxing skills heading into an exhibition match Friday
night.
The former heavyweight champion was meek and understated while
promoting the fight at a news conference Wednesday at the 6,000-seat
Chevrolet Centre in Youngstown.
``How much you got left, Mike?'' someone asked.
``Well, enough to box four rounds,'' Tyson said.
That's how long the 40-year-old will be in the ring as he kicks
off ``Mike Tyson's World Tour,'' which will include stops in
Virginia, California, China, Russia, Croatia and South Africa,
promoter Sterling McPherson said.
Tyson asked people not to judge him by his exhibition match and
reiterated he has no desire to return to boxing professionally.
``I don't miss it at all,'' he said. ``I realize that I'm retired
and I'm just not into the game anymore.''
The man who once vowed to eat Lennox Lewis' children will go up
against former sparring partner Corey ``T-Rex'' Sanders, who stands
about a head taller than Tyson.
The two could elect to wear headgear in the pay-per-view match,
although McPherson said he prefers that they don't so the public can
see their faces.
``How often do you get to see Elvis Presley or The Beatles? This
is what Tyson is,'' McPherson said.
Tyson last fought in June 2005, losing to the unheralded Kevin
McBride. Tyson had said he was finished with boxing after the bout,
which he quit after six rounds.
Tyson shot to fame by knocking out Trevor Berbick in 1986 to
become the youngest heavyweight champion in history at age 20. He
was knocked out by James ``Buster'' Douglas in 1990 and lost his
world heavyweight title. He later served prison time for rape,
returned to fighting and bit Evander Holyfield's ear in a 1997
fight.
© The Canadian Press, 2007